Schloss Feistritz

Schloss Feistritz stands in Langenwang in the Steiermark, a castle whose first known owner was Jakob de Fustritz around 1460. By 1630 every owner is recorded in a chronicle, including the industrialist Wenzel Ludwig Knaur, who was Peter Rosegger’s second father-in-law. Christian Renaud has been the current owner since 1987. Beside the building a nine-hole golf course opened to the public in 1987 once served the family alone. Each year during the first week of September the castle and its park join the Week of Early Music and welcome visitors. The castle’s long history is matched by the surrounding landscape. The Mürz valley offers quiet walks through beech and fir woods that rise toward the Fischbacher Alps. A gentle stream winds past the estate, adding to the calm atmosphere. The park itself contains old specimen trees and broad lawns where concerts take place in early September. The golf course lies just beyond the ornamental gardens, its fairways framed by the same alpine backdrop. Inside, the main house preserves rooms with high ceilings and simple stucco work from the 17th and 18th centuries. Large windows look out over the park and the valley. The staircase hall still shows the coat of arms of earlier owners. Outside, the forecourt is paved with cobblestones laid in the 19th century. Beyond the gate, a lime-lined avenue leads back to the village, completing the scene.